
Enhancing Renewable Energy Infrastructure at Galloper Offshore Wind Farm

Written By
Matt Waddingham, Managing Director
Cadman Cranes
27/01/2024
Galloper Offshore Wind Farm is a 353MW renewable energy project located 30km off the coast of Suffolk, generating enough green electricity to power 440,000 homes. The site’s Operations and Maintenance Facility at Harwich International Port stores six large cable reels that can be deployed in the event of offshore cable failures. However, these cable reels had been stored on timber mats for several years, and the harsh marine environment had severely degraded the timbers, requiring replacement and a long-term solution installed in their place.
Cadman Cranes was appointed as Principal Contractor by RWE to design and install a new support system. The project involved managing several contractors and diverse trades to successfully deliver the contract in less than four weeks. The reels, weighing up to 90 tonnes, required the use of a very large crane positioned as close as possible. Due to the ongoing responsibility for the support system and the £1 million replacement value of each drum, an increase in insurance cover was required.
Project Scope and Execution
As Principal Contractor, Cadman Cranes was subject to the Construction Design Management (CDM) Regulations, overseeing multiple contractors and trades while ensuring the safe and efficient delivery of key tasks. The scope of work included lifting and storing the reels, removing and disposing of the degraded timber mats, preparing the ground, and designing and installing a new support system. This new system was required to be fit-for-purpose and provide structural stability for many years to come.
The contract was fixed-price and demanded rigorous levels of planning and project management to mitigate the higher levels of commercial risk compared to standard ‘daywork’ contracts typically used for lifting requirements. The existing timber supports required a more considered approach to disposal due to their age and wear. The team faced challenges in specifying how the mats could be safely removed to prepare the ground for the new system.
The ground below the crane position was uneven and required a groundworks contract before the main works could begin. Even after reconstruction, the area had such low ground bearing capacity that a massive system of timber mats was needed to support the crane. Ground preparation was essential to ensure the safety and stability of the lifting operations.
Resources and Equipment
To achieve successful delivery, Cadman Cranes implemented a range of specialised resources and equipment, including:
- Inspection and certification of the client’s bespoke cable reel lifting system.
- A six-day Contract Lift with a 60-tonne mobile crane and a four-day Contract Lift with a 500-tonne mobile crane.
- Groundwork crews using type 1 material, rollers, and excavators to prepare the ground below the new support system.
- Structural analysis and certification of the proposed support system.
- Delivery and installation of 52 galvanised steel plates (2m x 1m x 25mm) and 12 neoprene bridge-wearing pads.
- Design and installation of a crane support mat comprising 72 hardwood crane pads (5m x 1m x 150mm).
- An electric counterbalance forklift, magnetic lifting device, lorry loader, and pick-up vehicles.
- A dedicated team including six crane operatives, a project supervisor, and a project manager.
Project Success and Sustainability
Through meticulous planning, innovative engineering, and seamless project management, Cadman Cranes delivered a robust and long-lasting solution for the Galloper Offshore Wind Farm’s cable storage needs. The new support system ensures the stability of the cable reels for many years, safeguarding this critical infrastructure and supporting the continued operation of one of the UK’s key renewable energy projects.
I am incredibly proud of what we achieved on this project. Through careful planning and a spirit of collaboration that should be a model for this type of work, we have delivered exactly what our client has asked for – on time, on budget and on specification. Further proof that we are more than just a crane company.

Michael Turner, Marine & Logistics Manager at Galloper Wind Farm
“We partnered with Cadman Cranes for a large-scale lifting project of our cable reels and have been very impressed with their service. As a local business to our site, it’s great to work with a company that’s both reliable and professional, delivering the project on time, safely and efficiently without any impact on our operations. Cadman Cranes’ experience and knowledge proved valuable to us, and they worked collaboratively with us to install a new solution and work within our requirements.”